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| Karahantepe archaeological site, Turkey. Credit: Mahmut Bozarslan / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain |
Archaeologists working at Karahantepe in southeastern Turkey have uncovered an extraordinary 11,000-year-old stone sculpture depicting a human figure seated on the back of a leopard.
Standing approximately 70 centimetres tall, the sculpture was discovered during the 2026 excavation season near Şanlıurfa. Turkey's Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy described the object as a “composite sculpture” and said its artistic style had not previously been encountered at Karahantepe.
The discovery adds another remarkable example to the growing collection of human and animal representations found at this major Neolithic settlement.
The Discovery
Archaeologists found the sculpture in what appears to be its original ancient position.
It had been placed on a bench running along the wall of a structure approximately three metres in diameter. The floor of the structure was covered with flat stones.
The sculpture itself depicts a human figure seated on a leopard and measures about 70 centimetres in height.
According to Ersoy, the significance of the discovery lies particularly in its style, which he described as something not previously encountered at Karahantepe.
The excavation team therefore has a new piece of evidence with which to investigate the artistic and symbolic traditions of the settlement's inhabitants.
Karahantepe and the Taş Tepeler Landscape
Karahantepe is located approximately 30 kilometres from Göbeklitepe in southeastern Turkey.
The two sites are separate prehistoric settlements, but both form part of the broader Taş Tepeler, or “Stone Hills,” archaeological project.
More than a dozen Neolithic sites around Şanlıurfa are included within this archaeological landscape.
The settlements date to more than 10,000 years ago, a period when communities in the region were undergoing major changes in their ways of life.
The archaeological record shows evidence of monumental construction and elaborate stone art long before the emergence of cities and written records.
Across the Taş Tepeler sites, archaeologists have uncovered human statues, carved faces and numerous animal representations.
Together, these discoveries are providing an increasingly detailed picture of how early communities constructed monumental spaces, gathered together and expressed ideas through stone.
Göbeklitepe Provides a Wider Context
Göbeklitepe is the best-known site within the Taş Tepeler landscape.
Its monumental T-shaped pillars and animal carvings have played an important role in archaeological discussions about the development of settled communities and large-scale construction during the Neolithic period.
The archaeological interpretation of these settlements continues to evolve.
Recent excavations at Göbeklitepe have also identified rectangular structures that may have served as homes. Researchers have stressed that further study is necessary, but the structures could indicate that domestic activity existed alongside monumental construction.
The possible habitation evidence provides an important broader context for interpreting the communities responsible for the extraordinary stone art found across the region.
Earlier Discoveries at Karahantepe
Karahantepe has been under excavation since 2019.
Since work began, archaeologists have uncovered monumental structures together with numerous representations of humans and animals.
Among the site's earlier discoveries was a human statue approximately 2.3 metres tall, found in 2023 alongside a sculpture of a vulture.
These discoveries demonstrated the remarkable range of prehistoric artistic expression preserved at Karahantepe.
The newly discovered human-and-leopard sculpture adds another distinctive composition to this growing body of evidence.
Importantly, Ersoy emphasized that the sculpture's style, rather than a definitive interpretation of its meaning, is what makes it unusual.
A Composite Sculpture
The human-and-leopard figure is particularly notable because it combines representations of a human and an animal within a single sculptural composition.
The human figure is shown seated on the leopard's back, producing the composite form described by Ersoy.
The sculpture's placement is equally important.
Rather than being discovered as an isolated fragment, it was found on a bench along the wall of a circular structure. The archaeological context may therefore help researchers understand how the sculpture was positioned and potentially how people interacted with it.
At present, however, the supplied source does not establish the precise symbolic meaning or function of the sculpture.
Why the Discovery Matters
The discovery adds another important piece to the archaeological record of one of the world's most significant Neolithic landscapes.
Karahantepe and the other Taş Tepeler sites are revealing increasingly sophisticated forms of monumental construction and stone imagery from a period more than 10,000 years ago.
The human riding a leopard is particularly valuable because it represents an artistic style not previously encountered at Karahantepe, according to Ersoy.
Its archaeological context also provides researchers with an opportunity to study not only the sculpture itself but the structure in which it was placed.
The growing collection of human and animal representations at Karahantepe may eventually help researchers understand how Neolithic communities represented people, animals and their relationships through monumental art.
Scientific and Archaeological Context
The discovery forms part of Turkey's Legacy to the Future Project, which supports archaeological excavation and preservation throughout the country.
At Karahantepe, ongoing fieldwork is expanding the archaeological record of a settlement occupied during a transformative period of human history.
The discovery of monumental sculptures, human figures and animal representations demonstrates the importance of preserving the archaeological context in which these objects are found.
In this case, the sculpture's position on a wall-side bench and the stone-covered floor of the surrounding structure provide information beyond the sculpture's appearance alone.
Further analysis will be necessary to determine what this context can reveal.
What's Next?
The excavation season is continuing, and researchers will have further opportunities to study the sculpture, its surrounding structure and other remains from Karahantepe.
The discovery is expected to generate new questions concerning the artistic traditions and social practices of the communities that created these monuments.
As excavation continues across the Taş Tepeler landscape, additional discoveries may help researchers determine how individual sites were connected and how monumental art fitted into the lives of Neolithic communities.
For now, the human-on-leopard sculpture remains an extraordinary example of prehistoric stone art whose precise meaning is still unknown.
Conclusion
The discovery of an 11,000-year-old sculpture depicting a human seated on a leopard adds a striking new chapter to the archaeological story of Karahantepe.
The approximately 70-centimetre-tall sculpture was found in an archaeological context within a circular structure, positioned on a bench along the wall.
Its unusual style, described by Turkey's Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy as previously unseen at Karahantepe, makes the object particularly significant.
Alongside earlier discoveries—including monumental human and animal sculptures—the find demonstrates the extraordinary artistic traditions developing in southeastern Anatolia more than 10,000 years ago.
Yet its meaning remains an open question.
And that uncertainty is perhaps one of the most fascinating aspects of Karahantepe: each new sculpture provides another glimpse into a prehistoric world whose artistic language researchers are still learning to understand.
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FAQ
How old is the Karahantepe sculpture?
The sculpture is approximately 11,000 years old.
What does the newly discovered sculpture depict?
It depicts a human figure seated on the back of a leopard. The sculpture is approximately 70 centimetres tall.
Where was the sculpture discovered?
It was discovered at the Karahantepe archaeological site near Şanlıurfa in southeastern Turkey.
Where was the sculpture found?
Archaeologists found it on a bench running along the wall of a structure approximately three metres in diameter. The floor was covered with flat stones.
What makes the sculpture unusual?
According to Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, it represents a sculptural style not previously encountered at Karahantepe.
When did excavations at Karahantepe begin?
Excavations at the site commenced in 2019.
What other sculptures have been found at Karahantepe?
Earlier discoveries include numerous human and animal representations. In 2023, archaeologists found a human statue approximately 2.3 metres tall together with a vulture sculpture.
What is Taş Tepeler?
Taş Tepeler, meaning “Stone Hills,” is a broader archaeological project encompassing more than a dozen Neolithic sites around Şanlıurfa, including Karahantepe and Göbeklitepe.
Does the sculpture's meaning have a confirmed interpretation?
No. The supplied source does not provide a definitive interpretation of its meaning or function. The unusual artistic style and archaeological context are the principal points emphasized.
